BJP rules out Amit Shah as Gujarat CM

New Delhi: Amid speculations that party chief Amit Shah may be asked to take over the reins in Gujarat, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) central leadership today made it clear that a state MLA would be assigned job, adding two observers are being sent to the state to hold talks with the legislators.

The BJP central leadership during a parliamentary party meeting here decided to send Nitin Gadkari and Saroj Pandey as observers to the state.

Talking to the media after the parliamentary party meeting, Union Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said a meeting of the Gujarat legislators would be called in which a decision regarding the new Chief Minister would be taken.

“Central leadership Nitin Gadkari and Saroj Pandey will attend the meeting. They will hold talks with the MLAs and others there and together they will decide the Chief Minister,” he said.

Naidu also made it clear that there was no question of appointing the BJP president as the Gujarat Chief Minister.

“Amit Shah will be part of the meeting and will consult everyone about selecting the (next) leader. There is no question of Amit Shah, he is the national president,” he said.

The Union Minister praised Anandiben Patel for her decision to step down as the Gujarat Chief Minister citing age.

Stating this decision would send a good message to the party workers, Naidu also informed that Anandiben would today submit her resignation to the Governor.

“The parliamentary board has accepted her wish after discussion. The parliamentary board has praised her for her leadership over all these years in different posts,” he said. (ANI)